The Temples of Cambodia

Bayon Temple (my favorite temple)

I fell in love with traveling by accident in 2008, when I got spontaneously invited by my aunt to Thailand. After that trip, I promised myself that I will buy my own camera, Sundays (Nikon D40); and that I'll visit more UNESCO World Heritage Sites, I'll travel more. Angkor Wat seemed to be the most famous complex of temples in Southeast Asia, the most feasible during that time. It took me two years. But I made it happen. I guess this was when my love for travel started to become a big priority in my life. :)

And I pursued that plan, that dream. And it was more than I could have ever imagined.

Laid-back Towns I Fell in Love With : Pai, Thailand

Imagine being away in a foreign place. Where and when there is no sense of rush. Just waking up in the morning with no plans, with time in your hands. When you can finally find the time to read a book. You look forward to a good walk, with no itinerary. Just a good walk to relax and have time for yourself. A place with no tall buildings that block your view of the blue sky and the sun. A place with small cafes and restaurants, with people serving you like you’re part of a community.

Such is a perfect day in a laid-back place. Like how I spent my stay in Pai, Thailand.

One Full Day in Amritsar, India

The Golden Temple, Amritsar

A trip to India almost always do not work out as planned. That’s what we learned during our first week in India. But India is so huge and colorful that there are a lot of places you can still visit other than those that you had in mind. After missing our train to Jaisalmer, we headed to Dharamsala and spent almost a week there. We had a few more days left before we take our train from Delhi to Agra. We didn’t want to spend three days in Delhi and we knew how crazy it would be to go back there on the eve of Diwali or the Hindu’s New Year. And so we decided to look for a place for a quick stop from Dharamsala to Delhi, which led us to Amritsar. 

I remember how crazy, tiring, and fun that one whole day we had in Amritsar. 

Inside Temples in Asia

The Golden Temple, Amritsar, India

I was born and raised a Roman Catholic. Living and studying in UP (university) opened up my eyes and heart to other religions, more so because my two bestfriends are Muslims. But my travels, more than anything, has introduced me to other religions and has strengthened my belief that faith is one of the most valuable things one has in his/her life. We just have different ways of practicing it. 

How Do You Live Your Life?

Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

How do you live your life? 

Do you live for the stability? Of everyday deciding to be where you are so you can build a life you know you are supposed to have? Always on a straight path, never thought of wandering around or trying another one? Maybe from time to time you imagine what it would be like to wander, but you prefered to stay put. 

Love for Travel Rekindled in Penang

Ernest Zacharevic's Murals in Georgetown

It was an early 6am flight to Singapore on Friday. There were a lot of hassles and mishaps going there –waking up late, going to the wrong airport terminal, long lines and ques, and the immigration officer who thought it was my first time to travel because of my new passport. She asked for all my flight itineraries and hotel bookings, until I volunteered to show her my old passport. I just really don’t get why they have to be so discriminating, and wondered what would have happened if I didn’t have my old passport with me. As compared to my entry in Singapore and Malaysia, where the officers were nicer and just allowed me to pass through without any questions. 

An Unexpected Detour in Hue

Citadel in Hue, Vietnam

‘Floating there, I held on to faith. Because you can’t know who might cross your path or who will take your breath away…You can’t know when there’ll be an unexpected detour that’ll take you to the place where you were always meant to be.’ – The Lost Girls 

Hanoi's Old Quarter

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi